Players: 3-7
Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

The Components

Cards: Mad Scientist University comes with a set of 168 cards in a small box. They're all printed on medium-weight glossy cardstock.

Some of the cards are "Insane Assignments" which tell you to do things like "Measure Time" and "Solve the Energy Crisis". Most, however, are "Unstable Elements", which suggest ways to do that, using everything from "Cartoons" to "Marshmellows".

The cards are relatively plain, with no artwork on the Insane Assigments and only line art on the Unstable Elements. However, the graphical design is quite good, generally creating attractive card designs. Even the simple line art of the Unstable Elements comes off well as a result, since they've been printed to look like blue prints.

Rules: The rules are actually printed on the back of the card tray, which tells you how short and simple they are.

Overall the components of Mad Scientist University are of fair quality with the Unstable Elements looking pretty attractive. However where the game really shines is in its insane theming. Zachary Anderson manages to do a great job of suggesting insane science and the crazy plans that crazy scientists might come up with. It's primarily on the strength of that theme that I've given Mad Scientist University an above-average "4" out of "5" for Style.

The Gameplay

Mad Scientist University is a very simple game of making up mad plans.

On a turn the active player draws one Insane Assignment and reads it. ("Write Your Name on the MOON!")

Then, each other player draws an Unstable Element ("Lawn Gnomes", "Divas", or "Cheese"). Thinking quickly, each player figures out how they'll use their Unstable Element to complete the Assignment. When called upon, he then recites his mad scheme in detail.

After he's heard all the mad schemes the active player chooses which one he likes best. He awards that player the Insane Assignment card.

The game continues, going around the table 2, 3, or 4 times, then the player with the most completed Insane Assignments wins.

Relationships to Other Games

Pretty much everyone who plays Mad Scientist University tends to recognize it as an Apples to Apples like game. However, it adds a notable new element: the storytelling. Mad Scientist University is an utterly freeform game of spinning the most bizarre tales you can conceive of, and herein it lies closer to storytelling games like Atlas Games' own Once Upon a Time and Looney Labs' Nanofictionary.

The Game Design

During our playtest one of my players said, "it's an activity, not a game." I think that's a pretty accurate way to describe Mad Scientist University. Sure, you're trying your best to come up with a good plan every turn, but the results are much more subjective than in Apples to Apples because you know who offered up each plot, and that's inevitably going to influence your selection.

I've seen some critics complain that anyone could come up with a list of plots and ingredients, like you find in Mad Scientist University. Here I have to disagree a bit because not everyone could do the excellent job that author Zachary Anderson has in coming up with cards that are weird and will generate funny stories. Besides that, isn't the whole point of buying a game having someone else do the work for you?

Overall, though, I have to agree that there isn't a lot of depth to Mad Scientist University. Ultimately you'll get as much enjoyment and fun out of the game as you put into it. If you enjoy sitting around, telling stupendous lies to your friends, this will give you a great vehicle for doing so, but if you're looking for a strategic game, this is most definitely not it.

I've given Mad Scientist University a "2" out of "5" for Substance. There's not a lot here, but in any case it'll be the Style which sells you on the game (or not).

Conclusion

Mad Scientist University is more a social activity than a game. If you like the idea of using cards as cues to freeform wacky stories, Mad Scientist University is a fun improv toolkit.